Bonding with your parrot

[Jumpingtadpoles]

Does your parrot bond better with you or your spouse? What sex is your parrot?
I'm just curious if the opposite sex is more likely to bond then the same sex I guess

 

[Birdman666]

Old wives tale... I've got, and have had both.

A parrot bonds to the person the parrot finds most interesting, and usually, who the parrot interacts with the most.

The sex part comes into play, usually, after a time when the bird has only been handled by a person of one sex or another. Then you get the label of either: "this bird hates women" or "This bird hates men."

They know there is a difference, but they don't necessarily know what it is. I haven't really been handled by that kind of human, so I'm not going to risk my life on it... I go for THAT kind... and until they get handled a lot by the opposite sex, they don't allow it.

To me it's more of a socailization thing.

With one caveat:

There are parrots (U-2's allegedly being the worst offenders) that can become "bite-ey" and distant with woman when it is "that time of the month." The theory behind this is that they can smell the blood, and they become fearful...

Now, I don't know how true that one is either... Mine certainly don't seem to behave any different around my daughter or my girlfriend... but I have heard several women swear that this is the case. Stranger things have happened. So, go figure!

 

[JerseyWendy]

I completely agree with our Birdman. 3 of mine are males, and my oldest, Hunter (YN Amazon) is a girl. All of them are very bonded to me, all BUT one are regularly handled by my husband as well, and ALL of them (no exception) can be handled by my adult, male children.

The one who is not handled by my husband is my GW macaw, and the reason is my hubby is thoroughly intimidated by the can opener attached to his face, which Ripley senses and takes FULL advantage of. :32:

Now I would go as far and say they are all CLOSEST bonded to me, but that is because I am the one who spends (by far) the most time with them on a daily basis.

 

[henpecked]

Both my wife and i handle ,interact with lots of amazons. most have a preference for one sex or the other. The ones that don't like men and go to her are the ones i work hard to win over, i love a challenge. IMO there's no relationship between a certain gender preferring an opposite gender. I do think women have a better chance to make friends but it's because of their higher pitch voice is more attractive and more likely to get a response. Rehome birds do seem to prefer the same gender as their first home if it was a good experience.

 

[SandyBee]

And there's always exceptions to the rehome theory, my amazon was deeply bonded with a man for 30 years, when he got to our house he picked me, poor hubby still smarting over it. He thought he'd be a shoe in LOL

 

[dreamin_sqaw]

I am still new to the "parrot mommy" world but my OWA was in 2 different homes and by 2 owners they were male. The female in the last home was bitten to the bone. He dad was the only one that was able to touch him and he was a 75 yr old man. Now in my home he is strictly a mommy's boy. He is not trust worthy yet of my husband. I spend 4-5 hours a day with him talking, playing, and attempting learning tricks. He will step up to me with no problem. if I ignore him longer than he thinks I should he flies off the cage and goes on a "mommy hunt mission" lol then he climbs up my leg to my hand and sits happily and wont step off for a bit. He is so funny. He will take food from my husband and that is it. He will bite him if he tries to get him to step up. I don't know the full history of Sammy so I cant say who his original owner could have been, I only know of the 2 before me. And they could have possibly been the only ones. Hard to say. Sometimes I think he took to me so well as a thank you because his nails were so long he could barely move in his cage. He kept getting stuck on the wire of the cage. looked painful. Day one he was here was a Sunday, on Monday morning we were at the vet. He started moving around that same evening. Coming to me first thing the next morning. So you see how I come to that conclusion. lol either way, im just happy he accepted me the way he has. But I do want him comfy with my husband as well as me. He actually seems to take to my dog . he did nibble her ear one day but it was very gentle. He was not acting aggressive at all. think he was just either checking her out or telling her mom's lap is only big enough for one and she had to go lol btw- my dog is a teacup (almost 1 pound) and so old she has no teeth left so I don't have to worry about her hurting him.

 

[GaryBV]

Does your parrot bond better with you or your spouse? What sex is your parrot?
I'm just curious if the opposite sex is more likely to bond then the same sex I guess

Well my female parrotlet HATES me lol, but the male loves me, would you be implying he's gay? lol

 

[gizzygirl]

I think the human female's fluctuating emotions during her "monthly time" causes issues rather than smell. I think it's an old wives tale that birds can smell. When I was a child everyone told me to leave the baby birds (wild) alone because the parents would smell me on them and kill them or push them out of the nest. I would keep going back to check on them and everday they were all there and healthy.